by Pete Sprenkle, creator of the Coaches Tool Kit

The following suggestions will identify some important guidelines for turning what could sound like negative criticism into a positive, constructive for both coaches and players.

1Tell your players what you want them to do.

• Say everthing in clear behavioral terms, easy to understand. 
  e.g. "Use a crow hop when you throw.
  
• Tell them what to do up front, rather than correcting mistakes.
• Do not tell them what NOT to do.  Tell them what to do. 
  NO:  Stay off the high pitch
  YES: Hit the low pitch  
  

2 Criticize the performance, not the performer.
Hate the sin, love the sinner

• AND, always end with a positive statement/self talk
  NO:  You threw to the wrong base
  YES: That throw was behind the runner, next time throw ahead of the runner.  With your great arm we’ll get the out.
  
  NO:  You messed up that play.
  YES:  On bunt defense the 2B always covers 1st base. With your speed you should be in good shape to take the throw. 
  

3 Don’t assume they’ve learned it; repeat it.

• Repetition is fundamental to learning, especially complex tasks.
• Rule of 3 - if you've explained it three times and it isn’t getting through, try a different approach. 
  (e.g. "If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you 1000 times".)
  Who do you think is really the slow learner here?

• Listen, see, do.
  Put another way: Tell them, show them, have them do it.

4 What you say to your players is what matters.

• What you say vs. what they hear... 
  Have listener repeat back to you what you said.
  
• Getting positives into their heads.
  e.g. In response to... “I can’t bunt.”
  NO:  “Sure you can, just keep trying.”
  YES: Break skill down into small elements, do one piece successfully; get the player to say something positive about performance.
  “I was able to square around properly.”
  
• NEVER:     Stop trying!      
• ALWAYS: Expect excellence of yourself!

5 Bring a constant, consistent positive message.

• Your players don’t care how much you know...
  until they know how much you care.
  
• You never exceed your own expectations.
    
• Say it, write it, look it, listen, teach it, define it, teach it...
  But keep it positive
  
• The ones who really love us...
  are the ones who demand the most from us.